It’s been an emotional month for the WWE roster since WrestleMania 42. Within one week of the extravaganza, over 20 contracted talents were let go. The following week, a couple of MFTs and The New Day parted ways with WWE. Now, it looks like Asuka might have finished up with WWE at Backlash. The Empress of Tomorrow had a show-stealing performance in her loss against Iyo Sky. After the match, the two former Damage CTRL members embraced. At first, it seemed like Asuka turned babyface. However, the emotional Japanese star waved goodbye to the crowd. Here’s the latest rumors on whether Asuka retired at Backlash.
Asuka Posts Cryptic Post Prior to Backlash
It’s been a couple of weeks since WWE fired Kairi Sane. The Pirate Princess immediately boarded a plane to head back to Japan. This action caused many to believe that Kairi Sane missed home and decided to quit WWE. However, the former Kabuki Warrior clarified that she didn’t ask for her release.
Asuka reacted to Kairi Sane’s release in a storyline manner on Raw. That said, the former WWE Women’s Champion shared a heartfelt message about what Kairi Sane meant to her on social media at the time of her partner’s firing.
Furthermore, Asuka and Iyo Sky’s WrestleMania clash was relegated to Backlash. Prior to the event, the Japanese legend had many questioning Asuka’s future.
Asuka posted a captionless image of herself looking out of a window. The photo had the song “My Way” by Frank Sinatra playing.
What was most chilling was the verse of “My Way” that Asuka selected:
“And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way.”
Heading into Backlash, fans started speculating that Asuka was finishing up with WWE. After her match with Iyo Sky, it was essentially confirmed.
Iyo Sky Defeats Asuka at Backlash
Two of the top female competitors in pro wrestling finally had their long-awaited showdown at Backlash, as Iyo Sky clashed with Asuka.
The two veterans had a very technical wrestling showdown, countering each other’s moves. Iyo Sky even reversed the Asuka Lock in an attempt to tap out the namesake.
Action spilled outside when Asuka thwarted off Iyo Sky’s attempt at a Suicide Dive. The crafty Kabuki Warrior set Iyo up on the announcer’s desk to finish her off.
Asuka went to spray The Genius of the Sky with her blue mist. However, The Genius made a genius move by grabbing Wade Barrett’s notepad to stop the poison mist attempt.
These two legends battled for almost 20 minutes, leaving everything in the ring. They traded submissions, pin attempts, and German Suplexes. In the end, Iyo Sky eked out ahead of Asuka, flattening her with an Over the Moonsault for the victory.
Asuka Waves Goodbye to WWE Universe
After Iyo Sky’s victory, the former Damage CTRL members got emotional. Asuka hugged Iyo Sky close, and the crowd cheered. It seemed like Iyo was giving Asuka her flowers verbally, as Asuka continued to cry.
Asuka had none of it. The emotional star gave Iyo a hug, blew her a kiss, and waved to the crowd. It looked like Iyo tried to stop Asuka as she rolled out of the ring. However, The Empress backed off, allowing Iyo Sky to take in the adoration of the crowd.
Was Asuka the Latest to Retire from WWE?
After Backlash, many were left asking, “Did Asuka retire?” Big E seemed to fan the flames around Asuka’s retirement during the Backlash Post-Show.
The retired former WWE Champion stated:
“I wonder if this was a goodbye. We have never seen Asuka this emotional. If it’s goodbye, I know she will be dearly missed.
She has been a pioneer and has done truly incredible things in the ring before she even got to WWE.”
It’s been said that TKO is looking to restructure current talent’s deals, with many upper-midcarders being asked to take 50% paycuts. That request is precisely why The New Day mutually agreed to terminate the veteran Tag Team’s contracts.
Did TKO Restructure Asuka’s Deal?
Asuka signed a new deal with WWE in 2024 in what many described as a “multi-year deal.” The former Joshi Pro Superstar was considered a top WWE women’s star. She was the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble winner in 2018. Unfortunately, she seemed to have hit her ceiling when losing to Charlotte Flair at that year’s WrestleMania.
While Asuka has had many Women’s Championship reigns since then, she’s been mostly positioned as a stable member, whether it’s with The Kabuki Warriors or Damage CTRL. At 44 years old and with many years left on her contract, it’s believed TKO asked the former Women’s Champion to take a pay cut.
Rumors: Asuka Is Semi-Retired
Coming out of Backlash, there are many reports that Asuka is now “semi-retired.” We don’t know what this means. After all, The Undertaker, John Cena, and Brock Lesnar were all part-timers before their full-time retirements.
It’s believed that Asuka could be used in the future. However, it will be sparingly, if at all.
Based on current reports, it seems like Asuka was one of the few to agree to the TKO pay cut. TKO offered New Day a 50% pay cut on their seven-figure deal to be used sparingly and as ambassadors for the rest of their contracts. Many backstage believe that Asuka agreed to this deal.
Asuka was a huge star in Japan as Kana. Upon seemingly retiring from WWE, fans started clamoring for the idea of Kana vs Kairi Hojo. That said, it might be a while. Unless WWE gives Asuka the okay, or releases her, she still remains under contract to the sports entertainment company.